March News
Launch of Great Book Swap 2025, Gadigal Country.
Yamandhu marang friend,
This month we are kicking off with three exciting announcements!
We are pleased to announce that the theme for Indigenous Literacy Day 2025 is Strength In Our Stories: For Now & Future Generations. Save the date (Wednesday 3 September) and don't miss out on this year's fun! Stay tuned for more information later in the year.
In more exciting news, we are pleased to share a new video that captures the ILF story and our work in remote First Nations Communities. See our YouTube video to watch.
This month we also launched our biggest annual fundraiser, the Great Book Swap! ILF Lifetime Ambassador Andy Griffiths joined local First Nations primary school students at the Australian Museum on Gadigal Country (Sydney) to celebrate the fundraiser. Read the story about the launch.
The Great Book Swap is a fun way to celebrate reading locally, learn more about First Nations languages and culture, while raising funds for the ILF. The idea is to swap a favourite book in exchange for a donation. Schools, libraries, universities, book clubs, workplaces and individuals can host a Great Book Swap at any time of the year. Registrations for 2025 are open now!
Mandaang guwu,
Ben Bowen
Chief Executive Officer
Wiradjuri/Gandagarra
To celebrate UNESCO's second year of the Decade of Indigenous Languages, each month we encourage readers to learn a new word in an
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander language.
Illustrations from bagan, barra barra, mirriwarr (The Boys Who Found Their Way), published by the ILF, 2023.
This month's word is marra in
Dhurga language!
Fish = Marra
Dhurga language is spoken on the South Coast of New South Wales.
Books, Scats and
Burra (eel)!
First Nations primary school students joined ILF Lifetime Ambassador Andy Griffiths at the Australian Museum in Sydney to launch the 2025 Great Book Swap. Students participated in a book swap and engaged in educational activities including weaving, stone tools and scat and animal matching in Gundungarra language.
Great Book Swap Launch on NITV!
Learn more about this years launch of the Great Book Swap at the Australian Museum in Sydney with ILF Ambassador Andy Griffiths with this NITV segment!
Busking for Change 2025
The story of Country Tells Us When... has been adapted into a joyful song about the seasonal changes of the Kimberley by ILF Ambassadors Josh Pyke, Justine Clarke, Dobby and Tehya Makani!
Celebrate First Nations Peoples' language, culture, and connection to Country by registering for Busking For Change and learning how to sing Country Tells Us When...
Bundjil Nest Conference
We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to attend the Bundjil Nest Conference this month with ILF Ambassador Shelley Ware who spoke about our work in remote Communities.
A big thank you to the team behind the conference who provided us with a booth and the opportunity to form connections with educators from all sectors.
Support Young First Nations Authors
Authors of Mixed Feelings, Exo Dimensions and Storm Warning (also known as the Stick Mob, young First Nations storytellers from Arrente Country, Central Australia) are seeking support to print their second wave of graphic novels. With the support of Creative Australia’s ACF Boost program, every dollar raised will be matched dollar-for-dollar. Learn more and support Stick Mob.
Launch of Ngirringirri Kirijinga Japalinga (Shining Little Star)
Pularumpi Primary school and FaFT celebrated the launch of their new book Ngirringirri Kirijinga Japalinga (Shining Little Star). Local Elder Simpy came along and sang some songs with the kids. All the students received a copy to take home and are already looking forward to making another book!
Over 93,000 Books
to be Delivered!
This month invitations to order Book Supply packs went out to our remote Community contacts. So far, over 93,000 books have been ordered and will be delivered in late April to 459 remote Communities!
Jessica Mauboy
Congratulations to ILF Ambassador Jessica Mauboy on the launch of her new sun care brand, Desert Rose. We are so grateful for Jessica's support as the brand will support our Foundation through fundraising and promotional activities.
Josh Pyke
Congratulations to ILF Ambassador Josh Pyke, his picture book These Long-loved Things has been shortlisted for the 2025 CBCA Awards in the Picture Book Category! Winners will be announced during Book Week in August.
Mimi's Symphony with Justine Clarke
(11th-13th April)
Congratulations to ILF Ambassador Justine Clarke who is performing in Mimi's Symphony, a heartwarming orchestral tale designed especially for Australian school children. It's a perfect excursion for K-2! Buy tickets and learn more!
Thanks to our support from Safewill, you can write your Will for free with Safewill until Monday 31st March 2025. Watch the webinar to learn more.
We would like to thank The ARA Group Endowment who have made another generous donation which will support our work in remote First Nations Communities.
We are so grateful for another donation from the Jin Memorial Initiative (part of the Fremantle Foundation) which will support our 2025 Book Supply program.
We are indebted to our partner Australia Post for their support with the delivery of Book Supply packs. This year we celebrated the milestone of delivering their 500,000th book to remote Communities across Australia through our Book Supply program.
Big thanks to Australian Walking Holidays, Tasmanian Expeditions, Blue Mountains Adventure Company, Australian Cycle Tours, Larapinta Trail Walk, as well as their travellers, for raising $10,000 through the World Expeditions Foundation's Regenerative 2030 program, enabling 1000 culturally relevant books to be received by children in remote Communities.
Support the ILF
in the Sydney City2Surf!
Help raise funds for our work in remote Communities by participating in this years City2Surf held on Sunday 10 August 2025 in Sydney! This year will be bigger and better with 90,000 entries are available! Learn more and register now.
